story: Sydney (CNN) -- Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott, the two men vying to be Australia's prime minister in the September 7 national election, offer contrasting views on China, the country that looms largest on Australia's economic and strategic horizon. 
  
  Rudd, the Chinese-speaking incumbent prime minister in the Labor-led government, says the China resources boom is over and Australia needs to prepare for that transition, given how important China has become as a trade partner in the past decade. 
  
  China is a key destination for Australian resources such as iron ore, coal and LNG. But in recent months, even China's breakneck economic pace has hit some speed bumps. 
  
  On the broader geopolitical front, Rudd wants China and the United States to carve out a new Asia-Pacific "strategic road-map" that will enhance trade, investment and security in the region. 
  
  READ MORE: Rudd: Better second time around? 
  
  The Opposition's view on China 
  
  Abbott, who has led the opposition Liberal Party since 2009, wants the Australia-China relationship to move from one based on shared interests to one of "shared values." 
  
  But he notes that Australia's friendship with China is more recent than that with Japan, and less developed than that with the United States. 
  
  In a major policy speech to a business audience in Beijing last year, Abbott said he believed it would take time before Australia's ties with China approached "the warmth that we take for granted with America." Still, he believes it is an effort worth making. 
  
  Like his mentor, former Australian prime minister John Howard, Abbott is a rock-solid supporter of Australia's military alliance with the United States, and believes that it is possible to be friends both with Washington and Beijing. Howard, he said, "understood that you could make a new friend without losing an old one." 
questions: Who has led the Liberal Party?
questions: Who is he running against?
questions: What language does Rudd speak?
questions: Why is China important to Australia?
questions: What does Rudd want China and the United States to do?
questions: What is Abbott's view on the Australia-China relationship?
questions: Who does Australia have a more recent friendship with?
questions: Is China important to Australia?
questions: Do Abbot and Rudd hold the same views on China?
questions: Who is Abbott's mentor?
questions: Who is John Howard?
questions: Does Abbott think it's worth the effort to maintain ties with China?
questions: What will the "strategic road-map" help do?
questions: Where did Abbott give a policy speech last year?
questions: How long has Abbott led the Liberal Party?
questions: When is the election?
questions: What office are the two running for?
questions: Does Australia have a longer friendship with Japan or China?
questions: What did Abbot say in his speech in Beijing?
questions: What does John Howard think of Abbott?
answers: Tony Abbott
answers: Tony Abbott
answers: Kevin Rudd
answers: Kevin Rudd
answers: Chinese
answers: Chinese
answers: China is a key destination for Australian resources
answers: China is a key destination for Australian resources
answers: carve out a new Asia-Pacific "strategic road-map"
answers: carve out a new Asia-Pacific "strategic road-map"
answers: to move from one based on shared interests to one of "shared values."
answers: to move from one based on shared interests to one of "shared values." 
answers: China
answers: China
answers: Yes
answers: looms largest 
answers: No
answers: contrasting views on China
answers: John Howard
answers: John Howard
answers: former Australian prime minister
answers:  former Australian prime minister
answers: Yes
answers: he believes it is an effort worth making
answers: enhance trade, investment and security
answers: enhance trade, investment and security
answers: Beijing
answers: Beijing
answers: since 2009
answers: since 2009
answers: September 7
answers: September 7
answers: prime minister
answers: prime minister
answers: Japan
answers: China is more recent than that with Japan
answers: it would take time before Australia's ties with China approached "the warmth that we take for granted with America."
answers: it would take time before Australia's ties with China approached "the warmth that we take for granted with America."
answers: understood that you could make a new friend without losing an old one."
answers: understood that you could make a new friend without losing an old one."